Reflective Blues & Jazz Revue …

Joanne Shaw Taylor: Time Has Come With Debut Release White Sugar

“I wanted to take time out to really work on my craft and make sure that when I did an album it was the best that I could do.”-JST

The articles you read on TheBluesBlogger have me drifting through time… I love writing about the past and the music that was a part of those memories… However, there are some new artists on the current blues/rock scene that really shine and I love writing about them. Sometimes we can learn a lot about the past just by looking right in front of us.

Earlier in the week I listened to Joanne Shaw Taylor’s latest album White Sugar. I wasn’t too familiar with her work, but when I finally heard this young lady play, I was completely knocked out… She’s fantastic.

TheBluesBloggersWife (TBBW) and I are taking our son and the dog for a rare overnight excursion. Our friend has a fully equipped cabin in the country and he gave us the keys for the weekend. So we decided to take the opportunity to get away.

Saturday morning during the car ride, I was anxious to share Joanne Shaw Taylor’s music with my family… I was that convinced they’d love it… And I was right… So I put the cruise control on and let the music wash over us. And we continued to make our way up the crunchy country road.

Joanne Shaw Taylor

Ruf Records flew Shaw Taylor to Tennessee to meet up with producer Jim Gaines to record her latest album White Sugar. Gaines worked with some some of the greats like Stevie Ray Vaughn, Luther Allison and Lonnie Brooks. He hired experienced session guys Steve Potts on drums and Dave Smith on bass. The effort payed off…

“As soon as I heard SRV and Albert Collins I knew pretty much that I wanted to do that full stop. That was the lifestyle route that I was goin´to go down. It was never a hobby. It was always very serious and dedicated to it.”

White Sugar is tastefully done and is extremely catchy with plenty of blues, rock & soul… All ten of the album’s songs were written by Shaw Taylor and they flow really well. She weaves her raspy vocal prowess with sweltering guitar licks beautifully and sounds natural doing it. It’s a very impressive debut record and one I strongly encourage my readers to fully explore. She is definitely a star on the rise.

Later That Night

I love relaxing in the country.That serene peaceful feeling away from all the noise and lights is so refreshing. Sure it’s a little chilly, but I’m not complaining… After going for our hike and having some dinner, I started a fire and everybody did their thing… The cabin was very comfortable indeed. My son played with his PSP and read some of his magazines. TBBW cozied up on the couch with her latest novel. And me? Well I’m finishing off this piece to the snap crackle and pops of the fire and thinking about the music that warmed me up during the drive… And our dog Lucille? She’s snoring with her head on my foot…

Hope you enjoyed your first weekend of Spring…

Is this the first time you’ve heard of Joanne Shaw Taylor? Or are some of you already familiar? I’m curious to know. Please add your comments below… Let’s hear from you!

OK, TBB–another really good article about someone that I just had never heard of. Ya had me on the first video, but when she said that Stevie Ray Vaughan (“SRV”) was some one who influenced her to go “full stop” with the blues…I had to listen some more. Then, listening to the MP3 samples had me thinking about buying the CD.

Thanks to you, the first pup Lucille, and TBBW for another enjoyable read.

Thanks everyone for adding your comments… It’s a great feeling to write a post and see many of you agree enough to purchase JST’s album. It will be interesting to see what happens next for this young talented lady…

March 16 a rainy evening I was driving through the Highlands of Scotand and listening to BBC2 on the radio. They broadcasted a live session with JST. She played “Coming Home” live in the studio. I was totally blow away and drove with goosbumps allover while the speedometer increased…
Listening to a live performance is MUCH better than the CD version. .The BBC2 mix was fantastic with the rythm guitar much more pronounced. I beg for a single with this cut. Anyway the CD is really good.The most pleasing musical discovery since the first time I heard “Smoke on the water”/Deep Purple and later Dire Straits for the first time….Different genres needless to say… I bought the White Sugar CD instantly and am now waiting for a tour in a country near me..

I heard of Ms Shaw Taylor in a record shop, thought she sounded great and ASSUMED that she was American. I couldn’t believe that she was, in fact English straight from the Black Country. Very authentic young woman who really knows her stuff. I saw her play in London recently, supporting Johnny Winter. She sang and played as good as I hoped she would and I got to meet the lady afterwards. I remember her saying that she would not live in The States otherwise she would get fat! Anyway, a nice person who seems tough enough to make it big. I very much hope she gets the fame she deserves. Talent like Joanne Shaw Taylor is all too rare in the UK as it is.

Wow! Just…Wow!…is what I kept saying after I got a copy of “White Sugar yesterday and gave it a listen. I heard a promo on the radio the other day for Dan Akroyd’s “House of Blues” syndicated show and when he said “I have seen the future and her name is Joanne Shaw Taylor”…I ran out to find out what all the buzz was about….I was not disappointed. Great Blog…keep up the good work.

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The music seen and heard on this site are meant to enhance the enjoyment of the articles and the reader's overall experience. My intention is to honor the artists that have inspired me by weaving my personal experiences together with my love of their music... If you like the music you hear, I urge you to support them by attending their performances and/or purchasing their music. If you hold the copyright and would like me to remove your song or picture then please contact me. I will do so immediately upon request.